The Smiley Smile Message Board

Some sad news to pass on - Greg passed away at home on Monday 25th April, age 62. He told me about a year ago he was pretty bad, but I didn't know it was this serious. His love for the band and their music will be sorely missed.

RIP Far too young.

Very sad news. :'( My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. By the way Andrew, it is Greg isn't it?

Yeah - he was forever correcting me about that, then in the end he just said "sh*t, just call me Glen !". That's the kind of guy he was. :-D

Oh dear he was a nice guy. I knew he had problems but I really liked him.

Greg was a great guy and put the friendly in friend.

Wow. When I was first getting into the BBs, he sent me numerous tapes and gave me A LOT of information. We talked on the phone quite a few times back in the day. I remember he couldn't get his hands on the Surfin' Safari match box car that they sold at Target, and I found one and sent it to him. Good guy, GLarson was.

Sad indeed.  Greg always had the knack of locating my seat at area BBs-related concerts even before I did.  A very generous fan.  He'll be missed!

I found Greg to  be a kind and firm presence for civility and friendliness in a world that often forgets its good manners. He was a true gentleman, and I will miss him.

So saddened to hear this news. I just spoke to Greg about three weeks ago, and in his words he was "fading away." It was one of the sadder conversations I've had with anyone. He used to talk one's ear off on the phone, rhapsodizing about Brian and the Boys, jumping from one story to the next. His mind was almost savant-like in its ability to skip from date to date, making connections and calculations. But this last time I spoke with him he was little more than a shell, and he had no energy or interest in mental tennis. Midway through the conversation he announced, regretfully, that he just couldn't keep it going; he was too tired. We hung up on good terms but with a tinge of sadness.

When I first became a Beach Boys fan in 1995, I posted a newbie question on some internet board or other - my very first post. Greg's was the first ever reply. As A Million Units In Jan! relates above, Greg was known for his helpfulness and encouragement of new fans. He brought them into the fold, shared information and pointed the way towards audio riches. He was my first Beach Boys friend, and I suspect many others' as well.

The man also had many talents. He could juggle. He could tell you the day of the week for any random date in history - making the calculation in his head in seconds flat. He remembered everything you ever said to him, what the weather was like on the exact day you said it, and whether or not the Minnesota Twins won that day. He was an avid "ball shagger" (don't laugh, Brits) at minor league baseball games and had amassed thousands upon thousands of foul balls over the years. He was also a bit of an obsessive, and not just about the Beach Boys. He once told me that when Leon Russell's debut album came out, he listened to it every day, at least ten times a day, for two-three months. Or something like that.

He was a real character, and a kind soul. He always wanted to help people and treated everyone with respect and fairness. Very humble and approachable. Generous to a fault. I wish so much that he could have taken better care of himself and stayed around a bit longer to share himself with the rest of us. He will be missed.

This made me chuckle. I have only met two fellas from this board face to face and it was thanks to Greg. Greg arranged for he and I to meet before one of the Wilson/Simon concerts, Greg visited with me and my wife and then took me to c-man's seat and introduced us. Greg was a very generous guy and a gentleman.

See you on the other side, Greg! 

Damn it!!  I talked to him on the phone many times - the last conversation I had with him was earlier this month. I knew he had medical issues, but thought he had it beat. He loved baseball (he was an umpire at one time) and he loved the Beach Boys and was a top collector. A few years ago, he made some nice Beach Boys shirts. He was a funny guy. I think he was also an English teacher at one time - he use to correct me with  private e-mails if I spelt a word wrong over on Cabinessence. He sent me quite a few 'illicit' CD's over the years - all I had to do was ask and it was mine. That's what I really liked about Greg; he didn't hesitate to share what he had - he was really good at sharing. He told me he went on a ship cruise back in the early 2,000's with some Beach Boys fans and played a lot of tapes for them. Most of the people hadn't heard the unreleased material before and as soon as he got home he sent them copies of his Beach Boys tapes and CD's.

I just wish Greg would have lived a few months longer to see SMiLE released.  He would have loved that.  But..... he'd heard most of it anyway.

You'll be missed, Greg.  You had a lot of friends in the Beach Boys community and beyond. God bless you, man.

damn...hate to read this.....r.i.p.

f***....I was not expecting this at all. I hadn't spoken to him in a few years, and had just reconnected with him several months ago.

Very sad news indeed.  My thoughts are with his family.  I didn't know Greg personally at all (I didn't have ANY idea about his age), but I had traded rare stuff with him several times.  Dependable and passionate about the material.  My big collection is as impressive as it is because of great traders like Greg.  I also bought a shirt (I'll take that out and wear it in his memory).  R.I.P. and say hello to Denny and Carl for us.  Thanks for the great tunes!

I didn't know him or had much to do with him but it's always sad to see someone go who is part of such a community as this. R.I.P.

Although I never met him, his contributions to this message board were always welcome. For those who are curious, here is Greg's last posting on April 4th...and it's a lovely one (in response to memories of the 2003 Beach Boys convention):

I was there for all three.  But I have to agree that the first was the best or the three.  The music was obscenely good.

And don't forget the lion trainer!

Greg would often call me at 2 AM to talk, which put a strain on our relationship once I returned to the 8-5 grind. But he was never malicious or cold. Just a super fan (with equally super issues, as wel all know). He and I would talk for hours back in the 90's and into 2003. Sorry to hear this turn of events. It is truly sad....

Let's see, Greg Larson, Bob Hanes, and Laurie Klobas. Yeah Beach Boys, wait a little longer to release your back archive. The Honeys have stated they have more of their stuff to release but they want to wait for urgency to release their stuff to build. Bob Hanes told them "Build to when? Your core group of fans is dying off!!"

Glad SMiLE is coming..........

Bob Flory

I met Greg through the Cabinessence board. I was inquiring about a POB album on amazon, and he was kind enough to send me a copy so I didn't have to pay. We spoke on the phone a few times as well...I remember trying to convince him of what Brian meant by saying "a cigarette thrown in the water, goes pfft..." What good times. He was the first one to send me lots of rich Beach Boys and Brian Wilson music...his generosity was and still is an inspiration.

We met at the convention in 2007 in Connecticut. RIP my friend, and say "Hi" to Carl and Dennis for everyone down here at SSMB...We will miss you brother.



 :'(

Didn't know him personally but always sad to lose a fellow fan who had such love for the Beach Boys, far too young especially.  RIP Greg.

This is really sad news.  :'(

Greg was a fan's fan and a very generous soul. A man who wept at Carl Wilson's graveside -- I sure hope Carl was one of the first to greet him when he crossed over. He'll be missed.

I had a quite a few laughs with Greg on his trip to California for a CWF event that seems like yesterday, but was probably 10 years ago. I also saw him in CT back in 2005 or so at one of Susan Lang's events where we had some more laughs. There were a few pm's and emails since then, and he was always a welcome presence to communicate with. Here's to you Greg, it was a pleasure to know you.

Ha! I had forgotten that! We used to IM back on AOL, and he would say, 'give me any date and year', and he would tell me what day of the week it was. And he could do that with singles, too. What day they were released and what their catalog number was. I used to accuse him of cheating!

He did that with me at the BB Convention in CT. outside the hotel. Never did figure out how he did it. RIP Greg!

Greg Larson was a great guy all around. He and I were known to argue endlessly about every topic under the sun thanks to our love for arguing (and both of us never wanting to admit defeat in said argument), but he was an awesome guy to talk to. He and I actually talked about the Beach Boys very rarely; more often than not we talked about baseball. He and I also had many great talks about Leon Russell; in fact he told me the story about his purchase of A Song For You and how he played it endlessly. There were a lot of great times spent talking to him. I hadn't talked to him since October or November due to me taking a break from the fan world but every chat I had with him was great if not 100% cordial given our love of debate. RIP Greg. Keep getting those foul balls and listen to A Song For You eleven times a day, every day!

First met Greg back around 1995.  Lost touch for quite  a few years, but spoke with him again just a  few months ago.  I knew he was ill, but not terminally.  Very nice guy, deep love of the BB's. He will be missed to be sure.

Really missing Greg now. He was my first Beach Boys buddy.

In these latter years I haven't been much of a friend. I hardly ever called him and probably left a few calls unreturned. But I did connect with him a few times this year and for that I am relieved.

When Brian debuted SMiLE, I was one of the many pilgrims who made the overseas journey. I remember procuring a tour booklet, earmarked for Greg. Upon my return, I promptly sent it to him, but I remember it somehow acquired the tiniest of smudges on the front cover, despite my best efforts to keep it pristine for him. Greg noticed, but he didn't judge. I'm sorry, Greg. I should have given you MY copy. You were worth it.

Greg had a great heart. More than anything, that's how I value people. He would never begrudge a smudge. He made allowances for his friends. He always saw their better sides. He had an open mind, and a deeply-rooted humility that allowed for foreign perspectives. At the same time, he lived fully in his own perspective; he lived in the eternal Now. He was my kind of man.

I've had a beer or seven tonight (Baltimore's own National Bohemian - or "Natty Boh" in the local vernacular), and I probably wouldn't otherwise post this. I've been hanging out with friends, revelling in the warm weather and the prospects of being alive. Back at home now, it grieves me that I can no longer dial up my first Beach Boys buddy, and swap stories here in this mortal coil. It's a crazy thought, this.

I just cracked open another Natty Boh. The elephant in the room here is alcohol. Poor Greg died from it. He never once hid behind the stigma, and he was an open soul. He was what he was. I wish so much that he could have mastered alcohol instead of the other way around. Greg, this one's for you. You died too young, and I miss you tonight.

I never knew him, or really knew who he was, but I can see that he was well loved and respected. It's cool how a simple band can unite random groups of people together, causing many friendships to be formed because of it. Perhaps one day I'll see him on the other side, in that great gig in the sky.  :thewilsons

May I ask how he passed? That "fading away" comment gave me a cold chill.

The short answer is "I don't know." But I know he had problems with his pancreas for years as a result of his drinking. I'm sure his final demise was related to that somehow. He wasn't a tortured soul or anything. He was always very comfortable in his own skin. I always envied him that. He didn't drink to self-medicate. He drank because he had a disease. He stopped for a while but relapsed and eventually resigned to that state. My main hope is that he didn't experience too much pain at the end. If he slipped away gently, I'm sure he went out happy. He had a small but beloved place in this universe. Universally speaking, this message board is a tiny place, but it's a place nonetheless, and it's a place that loves Greg and remembers him well. I hope this thread goes on a little while longer...

Reading all these great messages about our friend Greg sure makes me feel good that I also knew him as a beach boys fan, cd trader, and all around good guy.    Greg provided me many hours of phone and email conservations.   I recall telling him I was going to the the BB Landmark and he told me to look for his Brick.   I happily called him when I was at the landmark and said I was next to his brick.  My wife took a picture of me pointing to his brick and sent him it to him.  He loved it!

I had the opportunity to finally meet him a few days after the Landmark dedication when he came up to San Francisco.   With all the great restaurants in the city, he simply wanted PIZZA. 

He's a special guy and all of you that knew him know that.   

Surf's Up Forever Greg.

Les in SF

Sad to hear this.

Met Greg a few times at conventions and he had a real spark & love for the music.

Having lived in Oklahoma for nearly a decade now, I met up with Greg once or twice at Beach Boys shows. As many have already said, he was a tremendous fan of The Beach Boys and was very eager and excited when it came to discussing anything about them at any time. His enthusiasm was undeniable and if you hung around with him, he made it his duty to ensure you were having as good of a time as legally possible. He had plenty of stories to share and he almost seemed determined to give everyone he met a Beach Boys bootleg of some form ("Jared, have you heard them at Carnegie Hall? No? Well here you go..."). If he was at all "suffering" from any type of "problem", he sure didn't let on about it very much. He was "fun, fun fun" all the way (even after Daddy took the T-Bird away). I remember the first concert I met him at. He bought me a beer. I was only 17. He offered me several after that but I could hardly hold down the first. I hadn't seen him in the past few years and his passing comes as a sad surprise to me. But in my mind, he's up there with Dennis Wilson having a blast.

Greg was truly one of a kind. I'll miss him a lot.
Catch a wave, my friend.

Greg...you always wanted me to join this board...only doing it for you!   I started Greg on the Beach Boy adventure years ago in Minnesota.  Greg always a thinker, planner yet unpredictable... I enjoyed making him smile.  Greg called to tell me I missed the boat for good seats at a show.  Early on during the concert Greg spotted me in  a wheel chair right up on the main stage. I'm not saying this was the right thing to do, but it brought a smile to his face.   You've got some Dennis in you he'd say.  Thank's  for the music we shared and some of the stuff  of mine he'd share with you.  Thanks for returning back to Minnie for some of Brian's concert's.  Greg you are a true fan and friend for so many years.

 I have to add my two cents about Greg.  Everyone here keeps saying what a great guy he was, it is certainly true.  You had to know this guy to to truely appreciate him.  He had an unending passion for the band and the music, and ALWAYS went out of his way to share and help fellow fans.  Over the years, I've had the privledge of hearing some great and rare music thanks to Greg's generosity.  He never asked for anything in return.  It's a very sad note that Greg didn't make it quite long enough to see SMILE officialy released.  But we know he's smiling on the otherside.  Farwell for now our friend.

I first read about Gregs passing on Susan's site.  I knew Greg (used to slip and call him gary) through the boards and pm's.  I too must mention his sweetness as a person and generosity in sharing BB media.   He was always there and always like a friend you had known for a longer time.  I have his return address on a letter he sent once still on my fridge.  He sent me things by regular mail.  I wanted to return the favor but he said he had all that he needed and was just glad to share.   

We're all getting older.
Seems obvious but,  it occurs to me, more profoundly each year, that you can't replace friends once they are gone.

Call an old friend today.

This is very sad to hear.  I didn't know Greg personally like many of you here, but he was a pleasure to deal with.

You know he really always encouraged me as a writer. My final draft of my Beach Boys book will be done within the month and I will dedicate to him. If he hadn't given me such good input I may have never finished it. I sent him an early draft a few months before he passed and I hope he enjoyed it. I owe a lot to him.

What Beach Boys book?

It's a music based song by song biography.

I knew Greg too. He was a selfless enthusiast of The Beach Boys & seemed endlessly pleased turning people on to the music, even new fans that he might never speak to again. Greg shared his abundance out of love for the music and nothing else. All things arise & subside. No beginning no end - only appearances. Where we come from Where we go. Wisdom. R.I.P.

Okay, so I'm rereading this thread....he was 62?!!? I seem to remember meeting him some time ago, either in Philadelphia or New York, and he didn't look much older than me, and I'm in my 30s....or was he just that youthful before he got sick???

You may be thinking of either Glen or Gary - stand ins that Greg used for appearances.

Don't know what he looked like, but man I do miss him. He and I got tight the last six months of his life though we had been in touch almost ten years.